Herb's latest rumor

[LiveFreeorDie]

Latest rumor I heard from a friend of a friend...

Herb wants to move in on all the wounded giants out there (UA, AA, USA, etc) with his 737's like a wave of money-making Liliputions.

Seems like he wants SWA poised to cash in when the economy finally turns the corner.

Expect massive hiring in the next 3-5 years. So get your apps in, get your type, and stay current.

 

[tredding@swa]

more rumors...

heard from somewhere that classes might take a delay for a month or 2 due to uncertainty in mid-east & 1Q profits being low.... just a rumor, but who knows.... SWA has always been cautious....

Not what I want to see right now..... hopefully just what I said, a rumor, nothing more....?

Tred

 

[chase]

Whoa big fellow!!

Just kidding, tred, you're doing a great job. Now if you can just do something about that ring around the pool...geez, looks like a cure for cancer could be in that stuff!!!!

Anyway, hang in there guys. The train is moving out of the station & moving forward. Steady as she goes for Feb for now, more to follow in later months. War may slow things up a little but remember, we have planes that have already arrived last qtr, more airplanes coming this qtr & next. We can't keep adding airplanes without some folks to fly them. Of course nothing is certain but just as the markets have discounted the war somewhat, SWA (IMHO) has factored in some of these factors also. Hedging is going well.

In quarterly reports in the past Kelly/Parker after thanking everyone for helping us make money for the reporting quarter, they usually launch in to a series of comments that paint a very dire & bleak picture for the current quarter to the point of even saying "we don't know if we'll make a profit". While they have painted this picture for 2nd quarter (which is fairly standard in post 911 environment) he implied a profit for this quarter appeared to be pretty certain...that is definitely new in going out on a limb for the current quarter. War or no war, folks are going to need to fly & if the economy gets tough they're going to look for even more bargains...that's LLC. The other folks will be hurting (unfortunately, I & no one wish to have folks unemployed) & changes will occur. New routes will open most likely.

Keep your towel nearby & even those folks who maybe hoping to get into the pool for an interview, get ready!!! Now is the time to MAKE SURE all your ducks are lined up for an interview. The last thing you want is to be hurrying around. Have you reviewed the questions? Do you have good handle on your flying experiences you wish to talk about? Are your records flawless? Have you checked your credit rating lately? Can you say identity theft!!!! Have you sorted out any FAA problems in the past & gotten all the documentation together? You can wait or get it now.

I just found out the other day someone with a similar name to my wife (actually with similar initials) with a SS# very close to hers had terrible credit & this had caused some concern to lenders looking at us for a refinancing deal. That would've slowed the review process if she had had a background check going on for her. Could that happen to you?

Now do I know if interviews are starting next week? No. Do I think they will? No. Do I know when? No but anything is possible (don't we all know that) and you need to be ready for the call, whenever it may come.

For guys in the pool, think about contributing lessons learned on your interview with SWA. What was your weak point? What was your strong point? What would you do differently? What surprised you? Pass along these lessons to the lurkers out there who need a life line also. Remember, these are the guys that are going to move you up in the seniority list...start feeding them the good stuff now!! Enough rants.. ...thanks to those who contribute. Hope to see some folks tomorrow at the HPA table at Air Inc (not an endorsement to attend, I'm not recruiting folks for Kit), I'll be shaking a few hands for awhile before I go out to fly. cheers & God Bless,

 

[SWA/FO]

LiveFreeorDie,

Where did you hear that?

 

[LiveFreeorDie]

Heard it from a former SunCountry Pilot

who I work with who heard it from "a friend of his" who works for SWA. So it is like third-teenth hand, but I thought it sounded positive. (Well maybe not if you are furloughed from one of the airlines that SWA maybe going after--unless you decide to interview at SWA.)

Anyways hadn't seen anything in a while, so thought I would stir the pot. It does sound like the mgmt at Southwest--to prepare now to take advantage of the market later.

Why do you ask?

 

[ivauir]

STOP IT!

You guys are killing me with these rumors!
Here I sit on the cusp of leaving the pool and what do we get? "SWA is exploding!" no wait, "Retreat!!! No hiring for a couple of months ...". Add to this Tricare (try to get care) "lost" all of our credit card numbers and SSNs (that should be good for the final background check) ... and you get the receipe for an ulcer. If I was at home I would go snuggle one of my kids ... but I am not. So I will post this petite rant instead.

Seriously, I think we all appreciate any and all information we can get. Maybe next week will bring good news:

Sadam dies from a severe hangnail.
Herb is revealed to be Elvis' son.
Osama is in He!! forced to masquerade as one of the 72 virgins.
SWA hires 600 in 03.
I am suddenly tall.

BTW my semi confirmed rumor is that there will be "at least one" class in March.

For the record, my prediction is that the majoity of folks in that class will hear something next Tuesday (the 28th) for a 3 Mar ETA. Furthermore, SWA will continue to run classes month to month with a 4 week call out until the feces hits the rotating ocillator. At which point who knows.

 

[RightBettor]

Hmmm...

ivauir:

Ya know, if I was a bettin' man (and I am,) I'd say you're predictions are probably pretty accurate. With the uncertainty ahead in the Middle East, I could see SWA backing off to one class a month for March and beyond until things settle down a bit. Not what everyone wants to hear, but when you consider the alternatives in today's industry, one class a month is better than 1000+ pilots on the street.

It's like the old story about the father and son bulls standing at the top of the hill looking down at a pasture full of grazing cows. It goes something like this: Bull says to father, "Hey, pop, why don't we run down there and **** one of those cows!!!" to which the father bull replies, "Better yet, son, why don't we WALK down there and **** them all."

Does the bull story help? Just trying to ease the pain.

 

[w8n4swa]

RightBettor, that story made me laugh....but I'm still feeling the same stomach pain I felt last March.

 

[Yahtzee]

For guys in the pool, think about contributing lessons learned on your interview with SWA. What was your weak point? What was your strong point? What would you do differently? What surprised you? Pass along these lessons to the lurkers out there who need a life line also.

Chase,

I thought I was a stalker, not a lurker. And it's not really stalking, it's hanging out with friends who don't know you're there.

Thanks for the encouragement.

Yahtz...lurking at a pool near you

 

[tredding@swa]

thanks again chase....

it killed me to get that info - second hand it was.....

Posting it here was an attempt to flush out something positive and to give others, like myself, a chance to call around to buddies and confirm/deny the existance of such thoughts.....

It makes the ol' tummy do flip flops to be SO close and then have to think that perhaps the waiting (wading) my not be over.... ugh!!

As usual Chase, your views on subjects as these are GREATLY appreciated , I'll speak for the whole swim team here - your thoughts and outlook are a calming source in a rumor filled, uncertain, day to day grind that we have all been part of for months.

I know where we are going - I just want to be there so darn bad that I get my panties in a wad every now and then.... must be my Army helicopter background, or perhaps the time my Dad dropped me on my head when I was a baby....? WHo knows -

Keep the warm, fuzzy rumors coming - Thanks again!

Tred

 

[Indapool]

you guys are killing me
Il be in the pub if you need me

 

[SWA/FO]

You guys are great!!

 

[tredding@swa]

read,

"Gulliver's Travels"..... the old small vs. BIG and wins story.... Actually a pretty good book! - was even a cartoon on Sat. am years ago.....

Tred

 

[Flyky]

Thrown another biscut

In the past few minutes of reading these post I have gone from elated to crying to calm to laughing my a$$ off. What is going on!!!!!!!

So, my answer to all of this is to add fuel to the fire.

Spoke to LL the other day and she said that they are looking to hire around 300 this 1st Qtr and that I am some where around the 7th class. I am currently number 87th on the unofficial list.

This is both good and bad. In months past it has always been 180 to 200 for the 1st Qtr. So, 300 is a bonus. But, before I was expecting to be in around April, now it seems I may not be in until May. That is with 2 classes a month.

This is driving me insane. But, I am glad I am not the only one in this boat. Pardon the pun, but seems like we are in an ocean rather than a pool and we are trying to float to shore with out a paddle. Kinda like Tom Hanks in that FedEx movie. All I need is a soccer ball to paint a face on.

Patience is a virtue!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Flyky

 

[LiveFreeorDie]

WILSON!

I know where I can find some more rope, Wilson.

 

[HOUMAN]

Flyky,
Hey, I know it is only speculation and rumor, but when you say "1st Qtr"..... do you mean 1st half?
Anyways, I give up. Ditto to what indapool says.

 

[CoopDog]

The above ground pool

HOUMAN,

I love the above ground pool Avatar you have there. I'd seen it before, but never really paid any close attention to it. I only count only 6 bobbing heads in there though.

Is this a logo off a hat or shirt? You and Tredding ought to get together and start your own clothing line.

Coop

 

[WrightAvia]

Not in the pool, but I know a guy who is

hey, SWA can go ahead and hyper extend themselves financially to go into those markets... cause it will really be funny when the big guys get their act back together and start squashing out the little guys again. A pendulum swings both ways.

 

[Yahtzee]

Maybe you looking at the wrong scorecard

hey, SWA can go ahead and hyper extend themselves financially to go into those markets... cause it will really be funny when the big guys get their act back together and start squashing out the little guys again. A pendulum swings both ways.

WrightAvia,

Did I miss something are did SWA just make their 30th straight year of profits? And just when did the "little guys" get squashed by the big guys? The "big guys" may make more money when the economy is booming, but SWA has proven the ability to make money when the economy falters. I prefer consistent profits, not chaotic ones, whether large or small.

Just my guess, but a convervative company doesn't hyperextend themselves into markets...they look for opportunities to grow taking acceptable risks, not mortgaging the whole house.

I have friends in Atlanta who drive to Birmingham to fly SWA to Phoenix to see their son and his family. SWA doen's fly into CO, GA, and SC. I hope to see service into SC (CAE or GSP) soon. GA will take a long time to crack for various reasons, but trust me, their are many Georgians looking for an alternative to Delta and Airtran.

SWA does, can and will compete with other carriers, but they will do so on their terms, on their timetable, when they are ready.

Yahtz

 

[Indapool]

WrightAvia,
do all of us a favor and crawl back under the rock from which you came.